Self-stripping electrical connector and terminal

DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to the present invention, there is provided an electrical connector for insulated wires comprising a terminal for each wire comprising a flat member having an opening therein including a pair of spaced opposing wire contact lips extending inwardly in said opening, and a pair of insulation-skiving blades, each insulation-skiving blade overlying a contact lip; and an insulated housing including a base and a cover engageable with the base, the base having a surface for receiving each terminal and an opening in the surface for receiving a wire inserted between the spaced opposing contact lips, and the cover having a surface with a member projecting toward the base for engaging an insulated wire positioned in the connector bridging the insulation-skiving blades and forcing the wire between the blades, skiving the insulation to expose the wire, and engaging the wire with the contact lips, when the cover is engaged with the base.
The electrical connector and terminals of the present invention provide a significant technical advance over deeply-slotted, plate-type, self-stripping electrical connectors by providing rapid and reliable termination of of either solid or stranded electrical conductors over a range of wire sizes and a lower overall profile connector for increased packaging density.
The electrical connector of the present invention provides a versatile electrical interconnection system for electronic circuit assemblies and systems.